Hydrocarbon manufacturing equipment

Abstract

To provide a hydrocarbon manufacturing apparatus that can reduce the cost of hydrocarbon production and improve hydrocarbon recovery rates. [Solution] The hydrocarbon production apparatus of the present disclosure comprises an electrolysis apparatus that electrolyzes water to produce hydrogen and oxygen; a fermentation section (32) that ferments biomass raw material or organic raw material obtained from biomass raw material to produce ethanol, carbon dioxide and fermentation residue (Res); an ethanol production apparatus (3) that is supplied with oxygen produced by the electrolysis apparatus and burns fuel containing the fermentation residue produced in the fermentation section in the presence of this oxygen to produce carbon dioxide; and a hydrocarbon production apparatus that is supplied with hydrogen produced by the electrolysis apparatus, as well as carbon dioxide produced in the fermentation section and boiler of the ethanol production apparatus to produce hydrocarbons from hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a hydrocarbon production apparatus. [Background Art]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a hydrocarbon production apparatus comprising: an electrolyzer that electrolyzes water to produce hydrogen and oxygen; an ethanol production apparatus that decomposes saccharides to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide; and a hydrocarbon production apparatus that reacts carbon dioxide with hydrogen to produce hydrocarbons (claim 1). [Prior Art Literature] [Patent Literature]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2023-019425 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] In a conventional hydrocarbon production apparatus, in the ethanol production apparatus, fermentation residue is generated in a fermentation section, and even if residual fermentation of the fermentation residue is performed, persistent organic matter remains as the fermentation residue. Conventionally, the finally remaining fermentation residue is discarded without being effectively utilized, which incurs disposal costs. In conventional hydrocarbon production apparatuses, air is generally used as combustion gas for a boiler included in the ethanol production apparatus. In this case, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the exhaust gas discharged from the boiler is low, and concentration is costly, so the exhaust gas is not effectively utilized. Even if low-concentration carbon dioxide is supplied to the hydrocarbon production apparatus without being concentrated, the hydrocarbon recovery rate decreases, which is not preferable.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a hydrocarbon production apparatus capable of reducing hydrocarbon production costs and improving the hydrocarbon recovery rate. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0006] The first hydrocarbon production apparatus of this disclosure is An electrolysis device that produces hydrogen and oxygen by electrolyzing water, An ethanol production apparatus comprising: a fermentation section that ferments biomass raw materials or organic raw materials obtained from said biomass raw materials to produce ethanol, carbon dioxide and fermentation residue; and a boiler to which the oxygen produced by the electrolysis apparatus is supplied, and in the presence of said oxygen, a fuel containing the fermentation residue produced in the fermentation section is burned to produce carbon dioxide; The system includes a hydrocarbon generator to which the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis apparatus is supplied, along with the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation section of the ethanol generator and the boiler, and to which hydrocarbons are produced from the hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

[0007] The second hydrocarbon production apparatus of this disclosure is An electrolysis device that produces hydrogen and oxygen by electrolyzing water, An ethanol production apparatus comprising: a fermentation section that ferments biomass raw materials or organic raw materials obtained from said biomass raw materials to produce ethanol, carbon dioxide and fermentation residue; a residue fermentation section that ferments the fermentation residue to produce methane gas and fermentation residue; and a boiler to which the oxygen produced by the electrolysis apparatus is supplied, and in the presence of said oxygen, a fuel containing the fermentation residue produced in the fermentation section and / or the residue fermentation section is burned to produce carbon dioxide; The system includes a hydrocarbon generator to which the hydrogen produced by the electrolysis apparatus is supplied, along with the carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation section of the ethanol generator and the boiler, and to which hydrocarbons are produced from the hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

[0008] In the first and second hydrocarbon production apparatuses of this disclosure, oxygen produced as a by-product in the electrolysis apparatus and carbon dioxide produced as a by-product in the ethanol production apparatus can be effectively utilized, thereby reducing the cost of hydrocarbon production. In the first and second hydrocarbon production apparatuses of this disclosure, the fermentation residue generated in the fermentation section and / or residue fermentation section is used as fuel for the boiler. Therefore, the cost of disposing of the fermentation residue can be reduced, as can the fuel costs for the boiler, and thus the cost of producing hydrocarbons can be reduced.

[0009] In the boiler of an ethanol production device, high-concentration carbon dioxide can be obtained without using a concentration device by burning fuel using oxygen produced in an electrolysis device. The carbon dioxide produced in the fermentation section of an ethanol production device can be high-concentration carbon dioxide. The hydrocarbon generation apparatus can produce hydrocarbons using high-concentration carbon dioxide generated in the fermentation section and boiler of an ethanol generation apparatus, thereby improving the hydrocarbon recovery rate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a hydrocarbon manufacturing apparatus that can reduce the cost of hydrocarbon production and improve hydrocarbon recovery rates. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the configuration of a hydrocarbon production apparatus. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example configuration of an ethanol production apparatus that includes a residue fermentation section. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the configuration of an ethanol production apparatus that does not include a residue fermentation section. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] [Hydrogen production equipment] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, an embodiment of the hydrocarbon production apparatus according to the present invention will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the hydrocarbon production apparatus 1 of this embodiment is An electrolysis apparatus 2 that produces hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) by electrolyzing water, Oxygen (O2) generated by an electrolysis apparatus 2 is supplied, and an ethanol production apparatus 3 ferments a biomass raw material or an organic raw material obtained from a biomass raw material to produce ethanol (EtOH) and carbon dioxide (CO2), and Hydrogen (H2) generated by the electrolysis apparatus 2 is supplied, and carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by the ethanol production apparatus 3 is supplied, so that a hydrocarbon (e.g., C n H 2n+2 ) is produced from hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), and a hydrocarbon production apparatus 4 is provided.

[0013] The hydrocarbon production apparatus 1 may include one or more gas pipes connecting the electrolysis apparatus 2 and the hydrocarbon production apparatus 4, and may include a hydrogen supply unit 5 that supplies hydrogen (H2) generated by the electrolysis apparatus 2 to the hydrocarbon production apparatus 4. The hydrocarbon production apparatus 1 may include one or more gas pipes connecting the electrolysis apparatus 2 and the ethanol production apparatus 3, and may include an oxygen supply unit 6 that supplies oxygen (O2) generated by the electrolysis apparatus 2 to the ethanol production apparatus 3. The hydrocarbon production apparatus 1 may include one or more gas pipes connecting the ethanol production apparatus 3 and the hydrocarbon production apparatus 4, and may include a carbon dioxide supply unit 7 that supplies carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by the ethanol production apparatus 3 to the hydrocarbon production apparatus 4.

[0014] The electrolysis apparatus 2 electrolyzes water by a known method to generate hydrogen and oxygen. Using electric power supplied from an external power source such as a solar panel, methylcyclohexane (MCH) and oxygen (O2) can be produced from water and toluene by an organic hydride electrolytic synthesis method. Hydrogen (H2) can be separated from the produced methylcyclohexane (MCH). Methylcyclohexane (MCH) is liquid at normal temperature, and hydrogen (H2) can be easily separated therefrom.

[0015] The hydrocarbon production apparatus 4 reacts carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) by a known method to produce a hydrocarbon (e.g., C n H 2n+2). An example of the reaction scheme is shown below. nCO2+(3n+1)H2→C n H 2n+2 +2nH2O In the above formula, n is an integer of 1 or more.

[0016] Examples of the hydrocarbon include methane (CH4). Methane (CH4) can be rectified, liquefied, and used as a synthetic liquid fuel. The hydrocarbon may be a hydrocarbon where n is 5 or more and 13 or less, which is a fuel suitable for transportation. Water, which is a by-product from the hydrocarbon production apparatus 4, may be used in the electrolyzer 2 and / or the ethanol production apparatus 3.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the ethanol production apparatus 3 includes a fermentation unit 32 that ferments a biomass raw material or an organic raw material obtained from a biomass raw material to produce ethanol (EtOH), carbon dioxide (CO2), and fermentation residue (Res). FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the ethanol production apparatus when a residue fermentation unit is included. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the ethanol production apparatus when a residue fermentation unit is not included. Examples of the biomass raw material include sugar cane, molasses (waste molasses), sugar beet, rice, wheat, corn, potato, sweet potato, cassava, switchgrass (a perennial grass of the Poaceae family), rapeseed, soybean, peanut, wood, rice straw, rice husk, wheat straw, seaweed, leftover food, and combinations of these.

[0018] The ethanol production apparatus 3 may further include a pretreatment unit 30 and / or a saccharification unit 31 as necessary. The pretreatment unit 30 can separate cellulose, which is a polysaccharide, from a biomass raw material supplied from the outside. The saccharification unit 31 can decompose a polysaccharide supplied from the pretreatment unit 30 and / or from the outside into monosaccharides or oligosaccharides using a saccharifying enzyme. Examples of the polysaccharide supplied from the outside include corn and the like.

[0019] The ethanol generator 3 may further include, if necessary, a saccharifying enzyme production unit for producing saccharifying enzymes by known methods, and / or a yeast production unit for producing yeast by known methods. The saccharifying enzyme production unit may produce saccharifying enzymes in the presence of oxygen (O2) supplied from the electrolysis unit 2. The yeast production unit may produce yeast in the presence of oxygen (O2) supplied from the electrolysis unit 2.

[0020] The fermentation unit 32 can produce ethanol (EtOH) and carbon dioxide (CO2) by decomposing monosaccharides or oligosaccharides supplied from the saccharification unit 31 and / or from an external source using yeast. Examples of oligosaccharides supplied from an external source include sugarcane. Fermentation can be carried out in a continuous or batch manner.

[0021] The ethanol generating apparatus 3 may further include a rectification section 33 as needed. The ethanol (EtOH) produced in the fermentation section 32 is supplied to the rectification section 33, where it can be rectified. The rectified ethanol (EtOH) can be effectively utilized as so-called bioethanol.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the ethanol production apparatus 3 may further include a residue fermentation section 33 as needed. The residue fermentation unit 33 can produce biogas (specifically, methane gas (CH4)), carbon dioxide (CO2), and fermentation residue (Res) by methane fermentation of the fermentation residue (Res) discharged from the fermentation unit 32. The produced methane gas (CH4) can be supplied to the boiler 34 as fuel. If the ethanol production device 3 includes a saccharification unit 31, the fermentation residue (Res) discharged from the saccharification unit 31 may be supplied to the residue fermentation unit 33. The fermentation section 32 and / or the residue fermentation section 33 may carry out fermentation in the presence of oxygen (O2) supplied from the electrolysis device 2.

[0023] The ethanol production apparatus 3 further includes a boiler 34 to which oxygen (O2) produced in the electrolysis apparatus 2 is supplied, and which burns fuel in the presence of this oxygen (O2) to produce steam and carbon dioxide (CO2). If the ethanol generator 3 does not include the residue fermentation section 33, the fuel for the boiler 34 includes the fermentation residue (Res) produced in the fermentation section 32. If the ethanol generator 3 includes a residue fermentation section 33, the fuel for the boiler 34 includes fermentation residue (Res) produced in the fermentation section 32 and / or the residue fermentation section 33, and may also include methane gas (CH4) produced in the residue fermentation section 33, if necessary. If the ethanol generator 3 includes a saccharification unit 31, the fuel for the boiler 34 may include the fermentation residue (Res) produced in the saccharification unit 31. The fermentation residue (Res) produced in the fermentation section 32, the residue fermentation section 33, or the saccharification section 31 can be dehydrated and used as fuel as needed. The fuel for boiler 34 may also include fuel supplied from an external source as needed.

[0024] The steam generated in the boiler 34 is supplied to the pre-treatment unit 30 and / or the rectification unit 33 and can be used as a heat source. The waste heat from the pre-treatment unit 30 is supplied to the rectification unit 33 and can be used as a heat source for the rectification process. A steam turbine may be connected to the boiler 34, and electricity may be generated using the steam produced in the boiler 34.

[0025] In the hydrocarbon production apparatus 1 of this embodiment, oxygen (O2) produced as a by-product in the electrolysis apparatus 2 and carbon dioxide (CO2) produced as a by-product in the ethanol production apparatus 3 can be effectively utilized, thereby reducing the cost of hydrocarbon production. In the hydrocarbon production apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the fermentation residue (Res) generated in the fermentation section 32 and / or the residue fermentation section 33 is used as fuel for the boiler 34. Therefore, the cost of disposing of the fermentation residue (Res) can be reduced, and the fuel cost for the boiler 34 can be reduced, thereby reducing the cost of hydrocarbon production.

[0026] In the boiler 34 of the ethanol production device 3, high-concentration carbon dioxide can be obtained without using a concentration device by burning fuel using oxygen (O2) produced in the electrolysis device 2. The carbon dioxide (CO2) produced in the fermentation section 32 of the ethanol production device 3 can be high-concentration carbon dioxide. The hydrocarbon generator 4 can produce hydrocarbons using high-concentration carbon dioxide generated in the fermentation section 32 and boiler 34 of the ethanol generator 3, thereby improving the hydrocarbon recovery rate. The ethanol generator 3 may optionally include a carbon dioxide storage unit 35 (e.g., a gas tank) for storing carbon dioxide (CO2) produced in the fermentation unit 32 and / or boiler 34 of the ethanol generator 3.

[0027] The hydrocarbon production apparatus 1 may further be equipped with an algae growth apparatus, an organic acid synthesis apparatus, or a fertilizer production apparatus as needed. The algae growing apparatus can grow algae such as *Lysimachia japonica* and *Euglena*, and, if necessary, fish, using carbon dioxide and / or ethanol produced by the ethanol generator 3, oxygen produced by the electrolysis device 2, or a combination thereof. The organic acid synthesis apparatus can synthesize organic acids such as acetic acid and formic acid using carbon dioxide produced in the ethanol generator 3, water (a by-product) produced in the hydrocarbon generator 4, or a combination thereof. The organic acids produced in the organic acid synthesis apparatus may also be supplied to the ethanol generator 3. The fertilizer generating device can produce ammonia, urea, and other substances that can be used as fertilizer by reacting carbon dioxide produced in the ethanol generating device 3 with nitrogen separated from the atmosphere.

[0028] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a hydrocarbon manufacturing apparatus 1 that can reduce the cost of hydrocarbon production and improve the hydrocarbon recovery rate. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and design modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 1. Hydrocarbon production equipment 2. Electrolysis apparatus 3. Ethanol production device 4. Hydrocarbon Production Equipment 32 Fermentation section 33 Residue Fermentation Section 34 Boilers 35 Carbon Dioxide Storage Unit Res fermentation residue

Claims

1. An electrolysis device that produces hydrogen and oxygen by electrolyzing water, An ethanol production apparatus comprising: a fermentation section that ferments biomass raw materials or organic raw materials obtained from said biomass raw materials to produce ethanol, carbon dioxide and fermentation residue; and a boiler to which the oxygen produced by the electrolysis apparatus is supplied, and in the presence of said oxygen, a fuel containing the fermentation residue produced in the fermentation section is burned to produce carbon dioxide; A hydrocarbon production apparatus comprising a hydrocarbon production apparatus to which hydrogen produced by the electrolysis apparatus is supplied, and carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation section and boiler of the ethanol production apparatus is supplied, and hydrocarbons are produced from the hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

2. An electrolysis device that produces hydrogen and oxygen by electrolyzing water, An ethanol production apparatus comprising: a fermentation section that ferments biomass raw materials or organic raw materials obtained from said biomass raw materials to produce ethanol, carbon dioxide and fermentation residue; a residue fermentation section that ferments the fermentation residue to produce methane gas and fermentation residue; and a boiler to which the oxygen produced by the electrolysis apparatus is supplied, and in the presence of said oxygen, a fuel containing the fermentation residue produced in the fermentation section and / or the residue fermentation section is burned to produce carbon dioxide; A hydrocarbon production apparatus comprising a hydrocarbon production apparatus to which hydrogen produced by the electrolysis apparatus is supplied, and carbon dioxide produced by the fermentation section and boiler of the ethanol production apparatus is supplied, and hydrocarbons are produced from the hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

3. The ethanol generating apparatus includes a carbon dioxide storage section for storing the carbon dioxide generated in the fermentation section and / or the boiler of the ethanol generating apparatus. The hydrocarbon production apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carbon dioxide stored in the carbon dioxide storage unit is supplied to the hydrocarbon production apparatus.

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